By Jordan Divens

The fast-approaching Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Peach Jam will begin in less than a month in North Augusta, South Carolina, from July 6-10.

After one of the most exciting regular seasons in EYBL history, the circuit has established itself as the most talented and deepest AAU circuit in the nation. The best 24 teams will compete on the biggest stage in front of hundreds of Division I college coaches and scouts. Elite high school talent will be on tap all weekend, and players and coaches are eagerly awaiting their opportunity to seize the moment.

Top Dogs:

Heading into the Peach Jam, the division winners (Howard Pulley, PSA Cardinals, Team CP3, Team Penny) will be flexing—each finished the regular season 14-2. The other juggernaut headed into postseason play is Mokan Elite, which was led to 13-3 behind its two-headed monster of Michael Porter Jr. and Trae Young. Howard Pulley was led by the third-leading scorer in the EYBL, Gary Trent Jr., and has a solid supporting cast highlighted by the emergence of Brad Davison. Team Penny and Team CP3 are rolling into postseason play with 12 consecutive wins to end the regular season. Team Penny did it behind a deadly three-pronged attack of PJ Washington, John Petty, and Khalil Garfield, while Team CP3 featured four players averaging double figures in regular season play behind Wendell Carter Jr., Michael Hueitt Jr., Lavar Batts Jr., and Devontae Shuler. The PSA Cardinals had the season's leading assist man, Quade Green, and the leading rebounder, Mohamed Bamba (although Bamba only played seven regular-season games), and will be confident headed into the Peach Jam.

Contenders:

Watch out for these contenders to make a deep run in the 2016 Peach Jam to possibly shock the top dogs and win the title. California Supreme finished the regular season 10-6 behind their twin towers in the paint, 7-footers Brandon McCoy and De’Andre Ayton. Another team with a strong regular season behind play from their star is E1T1 United, which finished 11-5 behind dominant play from their superstar wing Kevin Knox. The St. Louis Eagles also finished 11-5, and were carried by rising guard Jordan Goodwin and his backcourt mate Darius Garland. Team Final finished 10-6 behind a talented group of guards; Daron Russell ran the point, and the high-scoring Lonnie Walker and Cameron Reddish were on the wings to carry the offense.

Dark Horse:

Expressions Elite has four highly coveted prospects who were averaging double figures during the regular season. Kimani Lawrence, Jermaine Samuels Jr., Tremont Waters, and Nick Richards all played huge roles for Expressions Elite in the regular season by averaging double figures. Expectations were high for this team coming into EYBL play, but they flew a bit under the radar in the regular season by finishing just 9-7 in Division C. This team certainly has the star power to make a deep run in the Peach Jam, and will rely heavily on Nick Richards and Tremont Waters to perform consistently in postseason play.

Cinderella?

If there is going to be a Cinderella team during the postseason, look for The Rens to fill this role. They finished 8-8 in the regular season, but snuck into postseason play as one of the final automatic bids. The Rens are the defending champions of the Adidas Gauntlet Finale, and have the ability to make a run in the Nike EYBL postseason. This year, a different group leads the way as Hamidou Diallo, Jordan Tucker, Jordan Nwora, and Jose Alvarado all averaged double figures and will play huge roles in The Rens' fate moving forward. Alvarado had a small role on last year’s team, and Dallo, Tucker, and Nwora are newcomers. They will need Diallo and Alvarado to dominate the backcourt to make another magical run in the Nike EYBL Peach Jam.

Players to Watch:

2017 7’ 0” C Brandon McCoy (California Supreme)
2017 7’ 0” PF De’Andre Ayton (California Supreme)
2017 7’ 0” C Mohamed Bamba (PSA Cardinals)
2017 6’ 11” PF Mitchell Robinson (Pro Skills)
2018 6’ 11” PF Marvin Bagley III (Phoenix Phamily)
2017 6’ 11” C Nick Richards (Expressions Elite)
2017 6’ 10” PF Wendell Carter Jr (Team CP3)
2017 6’ 10” PF Jaren Jackson Jr (Spiece Indy Heat)
2018 6’ 9” PF Simi Shittu (CIA Bounce)
2017 6’ 8” PF Jarred Vanderbilt (Houston Hoops)
2017 6’ 8” PF PJ Washington (Team Penny)
2017 6’ 9” SF Michael Porter Jr (Mokan Elite)
2017 6’ 8” SF Kevin Knox (E1T1 United)
2017 6’ 7” SF Brian Bowen (Meanstreets)
2017 6’ 5” SF John Petty (Team Penny)
2017 6’ 6” SG Gary Trent Jr (Howard Pulley)
2017 6’ 5” SG Charles O’Bannon Jr (Las Vegas Prospects)
2017 6’ 5” SG Lonnie Walker (Team Final)
2017 6’ 5” SG Anthony Gaines (Albany City Rocks)
2017 6’ 5” SG Jordan Goodwin (St Louis Eagles)
2017 6’ 4” SG Hamidou Diallo (The Rens)
2017 6’ 4” SG Chaundee Brown (Nike South Beach)
2017 6’ 6” PG Troy Brown Jr (Las Vegas Prospects)
2017 6’ 2” PG Trae Young (Mokan Elite)
2017 6’ 1” PG Markell Johnson (King James)
2017 6’ 0” PG Quade Green (PSA Cardinals)
2017 6’ 0” PG Tremont Waters (Expressions Elite)
2019 6’ 0” PG Tyger Campbell (Spiece Indy Heat)
2017 5’ 7” PG Chris Lykes (Team Takeover)

Peach Jam Field: (24 teams)

Division Winners:
Team CP3 14-2
Howard Pulley 14-2
PSA Cardinals 14-2
Team Penny 14-2

Automatics Bids:
Mokan Elite 13-3
E1T1 United 11-5
St Louis Eagles 11-5
Playaz Basketball Club 11-5
Team Takeover 10-6
California Supreme 10-6
Team Final 10-6
Albany City Rocks 9-7
Meanstreets 9-7
CIA Bounce 9-7
Expressions Elite 9-7
BABC 9-7
The Rens 8-8
Nike South Beach 8-8
Pro Skills 8-8
Phoenix Phamily 7-9

At-Large Bids:
Spiece Indy Heat 9-7
King James 8-8
Houston Hoops 7-9
Las Vegas Prospects 7-9